Compare towns
Framingham vs Chilmark vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Framingham has the most renters (45.2% rent).
Chilmark has the most expensive homes ($1895k median).
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($612k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Framingham | Chilmark | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 72,399Highest |
1,578Lowest |
18,873 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+40%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+13.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1Lowest 6% below MA |
53.6±8.1Highest 34% above MA |
42.1±1.4 5% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Framingham and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
36.2%±12.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
68.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
60.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±2.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,419±$6kLowest 3% above MA |
$168,750±$28kHighest 62% above MA |
$127,539±$11k 23% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $627,300±$10k 12% above MA |
$1,895,300±$281kHighest 237% above MA |
$611,700±$18kLowest 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,033±$57Lowest 15% above MA |
$2,750±$2kHighest 56% above MA |
$2,452±$298 39% above MA |
| Chilmark and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884 15% above MA |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$7,444Highest 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
30.8%±59.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.2%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashland and Framingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4%Highest MA: 10% |
4.1% MA: 10% |
3.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
32 min 8% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±11Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Chilmark and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #229 of 282 in MA | — | #42 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Framingham · South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical | Up-Island Regional | Ashland |
| High school in town | Framingham High School | None in town | Ashland High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | 14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.